Hi
I bought a working cpc 464 with colour monitor from eBay for my partner.
All was well - I got hold a DDI 3 card and we were playing a few games.
During a game the screen got suddenly duller and went dark.
Computer light is still on ....
How do I diagnose this ....
Mark
What do you get on the screen when the 464 (without any additional hardware) is powered on?
Bryce.
Nothing and the monitor feels dead no static etc.
Checked internal fuse it's ok , computer power light is on . If I hit the delete key a few times it beeps. Seems to just be the monitor side that is the problem
I had the same symptoms with a 6128 and it turned out that it was the CRTC, not the monitor.
I think that the simplest next step would be to test your 464 with another monitor or with a SCART cable on a TV.
No static means the monitor is definitely not doing what it should. So unless you intend sourcing another Amstrad monitor, I'd advise you to buy a SCART and PSU solution anyway.
Bryce.
I can also recall situations I had with my CPC 464 and CTM (when I still had one) where it would act "dead" for a while, and then, after a couple of minutes or so, after I switched it off, unplugged the CPC, AND even pulled the plug, it would start working again, as if there was some kind of over current or load protection inside that had snapped back.
I must say I never understood why it acted that way.
The 5V output has thermal protection that would switch off and work again once it has cooled, but the HT circuitry for the screen doesn't. It there's no static or crackling then the LOPT has most likely died.
Bryce.